The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-08-25
The Farmers Meeting.
ACTION NOT VERY CONDUCIVE TO FARM
ERs' INTERESTS.

ERs' INTERESTS.
There was fair attendance at th
| farmers meeting held. in the Court Hous
on Monday last. Capt. &. Julian IraI
was called to the chair, and Mr.. a. ID
Roller appointed secretary. In openln
She meeting
CAPT. PRATT
said that the farmers had aSSeLaDled L
take counsel as to the remedy for s9Xlstlhl
evils. or in the language of the invitation
ito set out the grievances we labor nnder
and point out the remedies" l congfatu
late you that there are present gentlemen
no have given thoughtful attention II
these interests, which involve the welfare
of IS per cent of the population OF this Com
monwealth directly, and as our occupation
is the foundation of all prosperity, State
and National, its interests involve that
of every class and condition.
Something is wrong, either our methods
or governmental policies or both. Pro
duction has increased under more scientific
and careful tillage and the use of ]abol
saving machinery. but profits have not IN
creased, and the present depressed condl
ton of our agricultural interests demands
the most intelligent and earnest consldera
tion.
| am not here to dictate the specific
trouble or the remedies, but it may not OF
out of place to suggest that it may be the
necessity is upon us to change the dlrec
ton of our effort and in new and more
profitable channels seek to recover the
profits which splendid national develop
ment has transferred to Bonanza farmers
of the West. It may be to keep abreast Of
the spirit of the age, in diversified indus
| tries and increased home demand, we are
| to find the relief. 1t may be that lega
enactments, laws of taxation and govern
mental policies are at the root Of youl
| misfortunes. Whatever it be. your intelli
gence should be equal to the emergency
! and your power is great enough to compe
| the remedy.
! To show the value of a Investigation OF
farm products, and more especially tn
| value OF home markets, Capt. Pratt
stated that over GOO acres of land in Bot
etourt county were planted this season in
tomatoes. At the moderate estimate OF
200 bushels per acre this will yield 2OO, OOC
bushels, which will make 16,00G cases OF
two dozen each. Eighty cents dozen or
81 go a case is low price. This would
bring into the county $25G, 200. OF this
SAC, 900 goes to the producer. and about the
same amount to the laborers in the fac
tories.
In the same connection he read letter
from Mr.. Jacob d. Grove, of Waynesboro,
giving the result of his experience as a
patron of the creamery. This letter is so
full of valuable suggestions that we give
it in full:
May 9th, 1887.
g. JULIAN / RATT. ESQ,
DEAR SIR: Much inquiry has
been made concerning creameries IhaYe had
some experience In keeping cows, milking
them and delivering the milk to the creamery,
| commenced in October last with eight cows
and from time to time added to my herd until
they numbered twelve thought this would
do for IA while as had some young stock, and
was feeding five steers. This gave me the OBJ
portunity 10 compsre the cows and steers and
/ soon found that the cows on less grain, would
almost oOnble the profit in the steers. AT that
time we were getting ten cents per gallon for
milk, and the eows were averaging three gallons
/ er day. show me the man who can put thirty
cents per day on Steep. This experience led
me to dispose OF the feeding cattle and put cows
i'll their places. now have twepty milking,
many of them eight months from calginG, anu
four of the number heifers, and this month will
put in y, 900 pounds at 80 cents per 100 lbs The
ao1f lot
should add, l have fed very little grain this
month. Some persons say it will take all you
can make to pay for the grain. This is a mis-
talk e. and as for the conghness l am satisfied to
swap that for the manilre right along. My feed
of grain in winter has been one gallon to the
head of an equal mixture of crushed corn. oats
and mill offal, and think it safe to say the cost
does not exceed ten cents.
II ensilage is what it is said to be. we can pro-
duce this milk at less expense, and Judging from
the experience Of others, am now preparing to
build a "eilO.
II must be remembered that we went into
this milk business without the preparation
which experience suggeste. but [ am well
pleased with the enterprise.
My health has not been good; unable to 4las1R
hand on the farm, unwilling to be idle. 1 had
an idea that it would be nice for q lazy man.
| but nine months experience proves to me that
to make it a success it takes a man with pluck
and energy He must haEe the right kind of
all the way through. He must UNDERSTAND mis-
! business, just like man il any other occupa-
ton.
| Give me first class COW and l will make S96
year out of her, and do know that it won't
| take all of that for feed.
| Like all beginners 1 have made mistakes,
| particularly in the selection of cows. These l
am correcting and as advance my average, L
know am adding to my profits.
Yours Truly.
JACOB D. GROVE.
Mr., Pratt also stated that Kingsley
Bros, of Loudoup Co., were running 2S
separators. and that their daily average Of
milk was SO 900 lbs. which they expected
to increase so per cent. They pay go and
| 70 cents for the milk, which makes daily
| outlay of about $525. This represents in
round figures about 100000 per year paid
out to the farmers of that section for milk
alone.
| AT the conclusion of Capt. Pratt s re-
| marks, Mr.. S. M. Woods moved that a
committee of three from each of the two
political parties be appointed on resolu-
tions. After some little talk the motion
| was carried and the following gentlemen
selectedy S, n, Woods, E. L. Houff, j. E.
Hamilton, 4. 4. sproul, +. Hartman, D.
W. Hanger.
HON. J. E. MASSEY,
of Albemarle, was then introduced and
entertained the meeting in we'll con-
eeiVed speech of about an hour. He said
that about all he knew of farming had
been learned in the valley, and at the Abe
marie meeting of farmers, the best speech
made was by an Augusta man, Capt. Chas.
| Grattan. He would not, therefore, under
take to teach the farmers of this section,
| hut rather to counsel with them as fellow
toiler whose sympathies and interests were
identified with agricultural pursuits. He
had no war to make upon professional or
mechanical organizations that had COM
| bined for self interest, but he did think it
time for the farmers who represent three
fourths of the population and an equal
proportion of the values, to equip them
| selves by organization for maintenance
of their rights and protection of their in
terests. They are the ''mudsilIs" that
must at last bear the burden. If you tax
the lawyer he adds TO his fees: the physi-
cian-his patients nlust pay it; the mer-
chants-he simply INCREASES his profit, and
SO On until he gets down to the farmer,
who in the end pays it all. They not only
shoulder the burden, but they are taxed
without rnnrncontation Thoro 10 h,t on q